AT&T announces new data plans for smartphones and tablets

AT&T on Wednesday announced new data plans for smartphones and tablets on its network that will become available on Sunday, January 22nd. Customers currently under contract will not be forced to choose a new plan, however new customers moving forward will have to the select a data plan from among the new options. Smartphone users will have three new plans available: AT&T Data Plus ($20 per month for 300MB), AT&T Data Pro 3GB: ($30 per month for 3GB) and AT&T Data Pro 5GB ($50 per month for 5GB, with mobile hotspot/tethering). Additional data will cost $10 per gigabyte on AT&T’s Data Pro plans or $20 per 300MB on the Data Plus plan. Tablet users will have a choice between the AT&T DataConnect 3GB plan ($30 per month for 3GB), the AT&T DataConnect 5GB plan ($50 per month for 5GB) or the existing 250MB plan for $15 per month, which will remain unchanged. AT&T’s full press release follows below.

AT&T Launches New Data Plans

Customers Get More Data, More Value

Dallas, Texas, January 18, 2012

AT&T today announced new data plans for smartphone and tablet customers that will launch this Sunday, January 22. The plans give customers more data and value.

Existing smartphone and tablet customers will have the choice of keeping their current plans or choosing one of these new plans, and the current $14.99 for 250MB plan for tablet customers will remain available.

To help customers determine which data plan best matches their needs, AT&T has helpful tools atwww.att.com/dataplans – including a data calculator where customers can estimate usage for their typical data activity. Once smartphone and tablet customers are on a plan, AT&T keeps them informed of their usage levels by sending usage alerts as they consume data within their plan. For example, a smartphone customer with AT&T DataPlus 300MB will receive a text message when they consume 65 percent of their data bucket, plus two additional alerts as they approach the 300MB provided with their plan.

“Customers are using more data than ever before,” said David Christopher, chief marketing officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “Our new plans are driven by this increasing demand in a highly competitive environment, and continue to deliver a great value to customers, especially as we continue our 4G LTE deployment.”

Customers are encouraged to keep their device’s Wi-Fi turned on because data usage over Wi-Fi does not count against a customer’s monthly data plan. As an added value, AT&T smartphone and tablet customers have access at no additional charge to AT&T’s 29,000 Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide – the nation’s largest Wi-Fi network.** Customers can get more information at www.att.com/wifiaccess.

For more information, visit www.att.com/dataplans.

*Plans are for 30 days and automatically renew every 30 days, unless you cancel service prior to the start of the 30 day renewal. Overage rates only apply to postpaid tablet plans – not session based pricing – and include: $14.99 for 250MB with AT&T DataConnect 250MB; and $10 per additional gigabyte with AT&T DataConnect 3GB and AT&T DataConnect 5GB.

** Largest based on company branded and operated hotspots. Access includes AT&T Wi-Fi Basic. A Wi-Fi enabled device required. Other restrictions apply. See http://www.attwifi.com for details and locations.

AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.